


And Bleed, Red As Blood

by deandratb



Series: Tumblr Micro Requests [4]
Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-07
Updated: 2015-09-07
Packaged: 2018-04-19 12:17:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4746188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deandratb/pseuds/deandratb
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt fic; Red injured.</p>
            </blockquote>





	And Bleed, Red As Blood

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimed. Anonymous prompt: **don’t leave**

Red tells her the wound is shallow, but all Liz sees is the dark red stain blooming across his chest. On the run, there’s no emergency response team–it’s just them in this week’s safe house, and her medical skills leave much to be desired.

Luckily, he stays conscious long enough to direct her movements, and the gash is staunched and sterilized. As soon as it’s bandaged, Red settles on the couch and drops heavily into sleep. 

She grabs a magazine from the kitchen island and chooses a chair nearby, just in case.

_Another bullet finding him is a fear Liz carries, buried deep. She never thought to worry about a villain wielding a knife. There was so much blood._

Later that afternoon, when Red begins protesting in a voice low and desperate, she crosses to him from the kitchen. “Are you alright? Do you need more aspirin?”

Then she reaches his side and realizes he’s still sleeping.

“I can’t,” he says, eyes squeezed shut. “I never meant to…”

She crouches down to his eye level, reaches for his shoulder to wake him as gently as she can–but then he continues.

“Lizzie,” he begs as he shifts restlessly. “Don’t leave. I didn’t–I’m sorry. Please don’t go.”

Liz pulls her hand back, uncertain. But when he continues moving in his sleep, she worries about his injury, and braves waking him.

“Red. Red, wake up. It’s okay.”

He swims back to consciousness with a gasp, and his eyes are wild for one brief and terrifying moment before they meet hers. She has never seen him look less like Raymond Reddington than he does right now.

“Lizzie?” He breathes her name, tries to focus on her face in the present. 

“I’m here.” 

He sits up with a grunt, unwilling to remain lying down with her hovering over him.

“Sorry,” he says as he smooths his hands over his face. “Bad dream.”

She nods. “About me.”

He looks stricken, now that Liz is learning to pay attention to the flashes of expression that move over his face. Waiting for a blow, she guesses, for her to prod at tender spots. 

_He has nightmares about losing her. This shouldn’t surprise her, but it does._

Rather than demand more information, Liz sits down on the floor, leaning against the side of the couch. Close, but not too close. She tries to fit this new truth into the puzzle that is her life. 

He is motionless behind her, breathing slowly. She can’t stop seeing the blood seeping through his shirt today, can’t stop remembering him bleeding out in a car months ago.

“I have nightmares about losing you too,” Liz confesses as she stares out the front windows. It’s easier to be honest when she can’t see his reaction. 

When Red says nothing, she leans over a little and slips her hand into his.

“It’s going be okay,” she tells him. 

_We’re going to be okay, she tells herself._

They stay there in the silence while the sunset washes over them, draping them in red and orange. Neither of them moves until after the last of the glow is consumed by the darkness.

Liz rises first. 

She turns on the light.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Babylon" by Angus and Julia Stone.
> 
> If you'd like to see more of these, head [here](http://iwantthepony.tumblr.com/post/128453041570/send-me-a-number-and-ill-write-a-micro-story) to request one!


End file.
